The summer months in Ontario, where I live, are truly a magical time! Luckily, mother nature supplies us with an abundance of fruits and vegetables to fill our kitchens with.
My favourite thing to do on the weekends is go to local farmers markets and browse all the things they have to offer.
Of course the products are the main reason why I’m there, but really, shopping at farmers markets has a deeper meaning for me.
Connecting with the community
With all the local vendors, you can make some pretty sweet connections and really see what your community has to offer. There’s more than just produce. Bread, honey, spices, baked goods and more!
You get to meet the farmers
This is one of my favourite things to do! It’s nice to see the face behind who is growing your food. It’s also an opportunity to ask how it was grown, or any tips or tricks they might have, etc.
Reduce your carbon footprint
When you buy local, the food doesn’t have to travel far to get into your hands.
You get to support your local economy
I think more than ever right now, we need to support our local economy as much as we can! While a lot of businesses are suffering right now during this pandemic, I try my best to support whenever I can because I want these businesses to thrive again!
Eating in season
Fruits and vegetables always taste better when they are in season! This means that produce is fresh, ripe and not picked before it’s ready. In colder months, this happens and we get produce shipped from other countries. Eating in season maximizes the nutrients in the produce, too.
Some of my favourite summer (early fall) farmers market produce + when in season
Peaches – July to September
Strawberries – May to October
Blueberries – July to September
Cherries – June to July (short lived but always worth the wait!)
Cauliflower – June to November
Cucumber – June to October
Watermelon – July to September
Tomatoes – July to October
Snow peas – June to September
Peppers – July to October
Zucchini – July to October
Corn – July to October
Lettuce (assorted) – June to October
For a list of in season produce in Ontario, click here .
*While things look a little different now and we have to adapt to what’s going on in the world, farmers markets might look a little different. Check out your local farmers markets for more details on how they are operating.
